The Minister of the Environment, Ana Paula de Carvalho, recently revealed, in Benguela, that a very advanced process is underway, which aims to inscribe the Giant Palanca Negra, a rare species in the world, which only exists in Angola, as a natural heritage site. from UNESCO. In addition to this mammal, the governor also reported on the registration of national parks
The government official has a unique opportunity in the initiative to recognize and, therefore, preserve the richness of biodiversity, in order to promote sustainable tourism and global awareness. She revealed that in the near future, a team of experts will take charge of some work aimed at realizing the Government’s wishes. “We are advanced in the process of registering important natural heritage sites with UNESCO, such as our national parks and the emblematic Giant Palanca Negra”, she highlighted.
Ana Paula de Carvalho made it known that the reactivation of sanitation, led by communities and schools, appears to be an innovative approach in empowering local communities to adopt appropriate and low-cost sanitation technologies. “It is an absolute priority for us. A program that has been successful in recent years, where the pilot implementation experience began in 2008 and has already covered 11 provinces in the country,” she said. He then added that “the interventions carried out show gains and success stories, with an effectiveness level of 18% in 11 provinces in 2015, and 38% in 4 provinces, namely Bié, Cunene, Huíla and Moxico, in which the program remained active until 2019”.
On the other hand, the Minister of the Environment considers solid waste management to be one of the main challenges of the sector she manages, in addition to constituting an attack on public health, which is why, in her point of view, joint action is required from the Government. “And here we draw particular attention to plastic pollution, a crucial battle in reducing pollution and protecting our oceans”, he highlighted, having referred to his ministry’s commitment to implementing rigorous measures to eliminate single-use plastics and /or unnecessary.
The sector leader therefore maintains that these days appear to be challenging, as the pressure on the environment has never been as intense as it is today. The climate crisis, combined with environmental degradation – says the government official – are threats that the country should not ignore. Ana Paula de Carvalho said, however, that it is also in these moments of adversity that opportunities for innovation must be found.
To the participants, during the second Consultative Council, which took place recently in the city of Catumbela, the minister assured that, in the field of biodiversity, the revitalization of conservation areas is being carried out, although she recognized a lack of financial resources to achieve this goal. , with the aim of putting an end to the illegal fight against flora and fauna. “This is, in fact, another commitment that torments us every day.
The fight against illegal trafficking of our fauna and flora is also called for here, as the primary objective is to guarantee the survival of endangered species, recognizing the vital importance of these ecosystems for the health of our planet and the well-being of communities places”, he maintained. According to Ana Paula de Carvalho, the aim is to create conditions to enhance and transform national parks into more attractive places. And, on this path, we will start with the Quissama and Luengue-Luiana National Parks.
In the government’s opinion, “through ecotourism, hunting tourism and other Ecosystem services, we are absolutely certain that this investment will have great returns in the medium and long term, a mechanism for improving our national economy, but, fundamentally, leverage in favor of the communities and the protection of the areas themselves”.
Drought affects 8 percent of the population in the south, says minister
The minister revealed that drought affects 8% of the population concentrated in the southern region of the country, while floods and/or floods caused by rain, despite being below the percentage mentioned, occur more frequently. As a result, a process is underway to map the locations where they occur most frequently. “For this reason, we cannot forget the importance of mangroves, true natural barriers against coastal erosion and essential habitats for marine biodiversity, in addition to being a great source of carbon capture, making a great contribution to the effects of changes climate”, he concluded.
The head of the ministerial department, responsible for environmental management, said it was necessary to invest in education and train communities so that they can lead cleaning and environmental preservation initiatives. “We, the Ministry of the Environment, are engaged in implementing the strategies and committed to placing the Environment in our basic School Curriculum”, he noted, and then reinforced that climate change is another issue that deserves special attention.